Kansas Racquetball Association – January 2018 Newsletter

The first tournament of 2018 in Kansas is coming up soon. It will be the 13th Annual Winter Classic to be held at The Athletic Club in Overland Park. The tournament will have players competing in all skill ranges including divisions for juniors.

All tournament players will receive a FREE pair of Cotton Blended Sweatpants (Matches the GREAT Hoodie from last year’s tournament). All players will also receive a nice swag bag.

It will have a Classic Racquet Division, Singles and Doubles!

Rules for the Classic Racquet Division:
– Classic Racquet = Pre oversized (Old small frame) I will have some to offer if you do not have one.
– The division is an “Open” division. The racquet will equalize the skill level, somewhat.
– All racquets must be approved by the Tournament Director prior to playing.
– If you dress to match the year of the racquet you get 2 points in the first game for style. The director has final word on dress approval for points.

Party at the Bar: Join us for a party at the Court Side Café. The party will be Saturday night about 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM. All participants and guests are welcome. We hope you will join us for what is sure to be a great time! We will have some GREAT door prizes. We will be giving away, YES FREE, stuff. We will be giving away things like, a new Amazon Echo, and other VERY Cool stuff!!! You Must Be present to win. Only those present will be given drawing tickets.

Do you want to know more about the rules of the game? And feel more confident when you referee? USA Racquetball has a referee certification program to help you learn the rules of the game. The KRA wants to help and encourage you to go through the certification process. We will reimburse the small cost ($10) to become Level 1 certified. This reimbursement is for current KRA members. Details of how to become certified are available here: http://www.teamusa.org/usa-racquetball/programs/referee-certification Below is a summary from that page. All you have to do is login on the membership page and follow the instructions under referee certification. Once you’ve passed, send an email to info@ksracquetball.com. We will verify your certification, and reimburse you the $10 at the next KRA sanctioned tournament. This offer is good through December 31, 2018 and is only available to current KRA members in good standing.

Certification is valid for 3 years from the date of completion. A person will only be allowed one attempt to pass the video match assessment in a 24 hour period. No charge for re-testing. Upon completion with a passing score your name will be added to the USAR Referee Certification database as a Level 1 referee. You will be able to print out your Certification card.

USA RACQUETBALL ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH WORLD OUTDOOR RACQUETBALL

Colorado Springs, CO — USA Racquetball (USAR) announced today that World Outdoor Racquetball (WOR) has officially become part of USAR, effective October 1, 2017.

WOR will continue to operate in the same way as in the past, with the same great people and the same popular events. USAR and WOR have always worked together, and this agreement formally sustains and strengthens the sport as the indoor and outdoor games move forward together.

USA Racquetball President Dan Whitley said, “We welcome WOR and all of its outdoor players to the USA Racquetball family. By offering both indoor and outdoor programs, USA Racquetball now has a larger net to cast in bringing new players into the sport. I work in an indoor racquetball environment, but my kids have learned how to play racquetball at the outdoor courts in the park near my home. The outdoor game provides access and opportunity to introduce racquetball to many more new players.”

WOR Executive Director Hank Marcus commented, “This move positions WOR and Outdoor for future growth and stability. I have spent many years working with Dan Whitley on high school events, and I am excited and confident in what he and USAR bring to Outdoor. We are all interested in the same goals: growing the outdoor game, providing continuing service to our members, and introducing outdoor racquetball to new players.”

Greg Lewerenz, WOR National Director, added, “I am excited about this step forward for outdoor racquetball and for the growth and stability of the game. This brings together two groups of players with the single-minded focus of getting people playing the sport. We are at a pivotal moment in the history of racquetball. It is time to bring together the players, sponsors, manufacturers, and organizations to help promote and support each other and keep our sport alive and well in all of its forms. Let’s get people playing racquetball!!”

The Kansas Racquetball Association is a non profit 501(c)(3) non profit corporation. Donations to help support racquetball in KS are greatly appreciated.

Check out the KRA Website for info on upcoming tournaments and activities.

Are you interested in helping with Racquetball growth in KS? We are looking for volunteers to help with the newsletter and making it better and more frequent. If interested please contact us at info@ksracquetball.com.